Weighing-machine.



No. 878,915. PATENTED FEB. 11,1908.

F. VERPLAST.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1907,

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No. 878,915. PATENTED FEB.11, 1908. F. VERPLAST.

WBIGHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1907.

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HQQ M jff %W%%' aw wmak FREDERICK VERPLAST, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WEIGHING-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed January 21 1907. Serial No. 353.226.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK VERPLAST, of Boston, county of Suffolk,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inl/Veighing-Nlachines, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like charactors inthe drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to weighing machines and has for its object toimprove the construction of the same in several particulars aiming toincrease the reliability of the machine, to insure its positiveoperation, to

' decrease the wear and to provide for the removal and replacement ofthe operating parts in assembled condition, whereby the machine may betaken care of by unskilled persons.

Figure 1 shows in front elevation a portion of a weighing-machineembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the operatingmechanism of the machine showing the case in vertical section. Fig. 3 isa detail showing the means for operating the shaft bearing theindicating-band. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are details of the means employed forsupporting the weighing springs. Fig. 7 is a detail showing theconnection of the platform-rod with the supporting-frame.

a represents the platform-rod, which is attached at its lower end to thebalancinglevers which support the platform in any usual or suitablemanner. The upper end of the rod a is screw-threaded and is therebyadjustably connected to the lower end of a supporting-frame a. Ahorizontal cross-bar b is pivoted at a point intermediate its length tothe supporting-frame a, to which the lower ends of the weighing springsc, c are connected. The opposite ends of the cross bar I) are formedwith right angular recesses adapted to receive correspondingly shapedblocks 1),

see Fig. 5, which are secured thereto by screws or otherwise, and saidends, together with the blocks are formed or provided with spirallythreaded holes extending entirely therethrough, to receive the lowerends of the spirally formed weighing-springs c. The weighing-springs areheld in firm engagement with said cross-bar by tightening the screwswhich hold the blocks b in place. The crossbar, thus constructed,provides for engaging the Weighing-springs at any part thereof, therebyproviding means for longitudinally adjusting the springs independentlyof each other. By pivotally connecting the crossbar I) to thesupporting-frame a to which the platform-rod is connected, said bar willserve as an equalizer for the springs when the platform-rod is drawndown.

The upper ends of the we1ghing-springs are formed with hooks c whichenter any one ofwhich extends up through a threaded hole in the mainframe which supports the assembled parts. The headed pins are free toturn in order that the weighing springs may be turned in the threadedholes in the cross-bar, when adjusting them.

The main frame has an ear 0 which extends internally and has abifurcated end which engages the cross-bar o to prevent said bar fromturning on the screw 0 By means of the screw 0 the cross-bar 0 may beadjusted to different elevations, to simultaneously adjust theweighing-springs.

cl represents the shaft bearing the indicating hand (1, which has itsbearings in the main frame, and d is a pinion on said shaft which isengaged by a rack (Z supported in bearings 011 the main frame andmovable vertically. The rack d has at its lower end a weight (1", which,when permitted to act draws down the rack and turns the pinion.

The shaft (1 has secured to it a toothed wheel 6, which is engaged andheld by a suitable locking-device. The locking-device, herein shown,consists of a vertically sliding pin 6, borne by an arm 6 pivoted at eto the main frame. The upper end of said arm is engaged by a verticallysliding pin 6 supported by one end of a lever c which is pivoted at e,the opposite end of said lever having connected with it the means foroperating it. hen the lever e is operated the locking-device disengagesthe toothed wheel 6, and the pinion is thereby permitted to revolve.

The weighted rack normally rests upon an anvil (1", held by thesupporting-frame 0,, and when said frame is drawn down by theplatform-rod said anvil is removed from beneath the weighted-rack. Thesupporting-frame and anvil are adjusted so that the anvil just engagesthe weighted rack when the lockingpin engages the toothed wheel on theshaft d, hence the weighted rack is supported by said anvil yet is heldin elevated position by said toothed wheel when the anvil is removedfrom beneath it, and until such time as said toothed wheel is released.Therefore a person mounting the platform will cause the supporting-frameto descend but the weighted rack will not fall until the operating-leverof the locking-device has been operated. When a person steps from theplatform the supporting frame is raised and the weighted rack likewiseraised, and to limit the quick upward movement of the rack an adjustingscrew d is provided, which is supported by themain frame. The rack onreturning will pass by its normal position of rest and will strike saidadjusting-screw, after which it falls slightly and comes to rest on theanvil with the locking-pin in engagement with the toothed wheel 6. v

The main-frame bearing all the assembled parts is formed or providedwith a circular basef, adapted to fit a circular seatf, which is formedor provided on the interior of the rear wall of the case A, and saidframe is removably connected with said rear wall by screws or otherwise.

The circular base and the circular seat are made concentric to the shaftbearing the in dicating-hand, so that when the frame is placed inposition all the parts will occupy their proper and correct relativepositions, therefore requiring no further adjustment.

The main frame, constructed in this manner and bearing all the parts inassembled condition, so that it may be easilyremoved and replaced byunskilled persons, forms an important feature of my present invention.

The main frame has secured to or formed integral with it several postsg, which extend forward, and against the ends of these posts aframe-plate g is secured, comprising several radially extended arms, theextremities of which are formed with bosses g and the dial-plate g isplaced upon said bosses and is secured thereto by screws or otherwise.By forming the support for the dial-plate rigidly with the main framewhich supports the assembled parts, it will be correctly localized withrespect to the indicating-hand, whereas in previous constructions, sofar as I am .aware, said plate has been supported by means independentof the frame bearing the indicating hand and much difliculty has beenexperienced in adjusting it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is i 1. In a weighing machine, the combinationof a spirally formed weighing-spring, means for supporting its upperend, a bar having a divided end formed with a spirally threaded holethrough it for engaging the lower end portion of Y said spring at anypart thereof and means for adjusting one part of said divided end withrelation to the-other to firmly engage or to release the spring andaplatformrod connected with said bar, substantially as described.

2. In a weighing machine, a pair of weighing-springs, a pair of hooks attheir upper ends, a cross-bar having rotatable pins projecting throughit provided each with a series of holes adapted to receive said hooksand means for supporting said cross-bar, substantially as described.

3. In a weighing machine, a pair of weighing-springs, a cross-bar towhich the upper ends of said springs are connected, a headed screw onwhich said cross-bar is swiveled a removable frame bearing said screwadapted to be attached to the case and indicating mechanism supported bysaid frame, substantially as described.

4. In a weighing machine, the combination of a shaft bearinganindicating hand, apinion thereon, a weighted rack engaging saidpinion, an adjusting-screw against which the upper end of said rackstrikes, which limits its upward movement, and an anvil borne by meansto which the weighing-springs and platform-rod are connected upon whichthe weighted rack normally rests, substantially as described.

5. In a weighing machine, a main frame supporting the shaft bearing theindicatinghand and also the means for operating said shaft, having aframe-plate secured to it com prising a plurality of radially extendedarms formed with bosses at their extremities and a dial-plate attachedthereto, substantially

